Who Invented Words?

Ever wondered why some spices burn your throat while others tickle your nose? Or why some of us live for spicy foods while others sweat at the mere thought of a habanero? How do pickles stay crunchy if they’re sitting in brine for weeks on end? And why do we have such different f ... Show More

It’s summer and that means slathering yourself with sunblock before you’re allowed to go run around outside. Not everyone loves that ritual: sunscreen can be cold or sticky. Sometimes it gets in your eyes, and it always feels like it’s time to reapply JUST as you’re about to jump ... Show More

How did horseshoe crabs get their names? Are they even crabs? And did they really exist before the dinosaurs? Early spring presents a unique opportunity to see these living fossils up close as they scuttle up to the shoreline along the Atlantic coast of the United States to mate ... Show More

تولد العديد من الأسئلة من تجاربنا المؤلمة مثل: لماذا رحل؟ لماذا عوملت بهذه الطريقة؟ لماذا أنا؟ ونظل نبحث عن إجابة تخرس السؤال الذي يضج فينا، نريد أن ننجو من دوامة التفكير به.. لكنه يحاصرنا، ويعلو صوته كلما خلونا بأنفسنا. فكيف نتعامل مع هذه الأسئلة؟ 

How and why do we make assumptions based on the way people speak? What is considered “proper,” or “correct” language – and who decides that, anyway? 

Where did language come from? Is it possible to know without traveling back in time? And how do babies learn to speak? Plus: We’ll hear how the word “silly” has evolved over the last several hundred years. 

Have you ever noticed that when you say the same word over and over, it starts to sound funny? It’s like the word loses its meaning and just becomes weird, disconnected sounds. One of our listeners wanted to know why, and we went to linguist Shohini Battasali for the answer.  Got ... Show More

We asked you to ask US things you've always wanted to know about us. Today, we're answering your questions and addressing topics that we've been avoiding... 

Also: why do we pad our speech with so much filler language? 

I often get asked whether it's better to focus on one language and become fluent in it or to explore many languages. In this video I talk about why I don't think there's one answer to this question.